One of the biggest culinary trends to hit South Korea over the past couple years is that of craft beer. Subsequently, microbreweries and small gastropubs have been mushrooming throughout Seoul, particularly in the neighborhoods of Itaewon, Gyeongnidan and Haebangchon.

Each of these watering holes offers up their own specialties, all of which are nice alternatives of tasteless Cass, watery OB and the rest of Korea's substandard brews. One of the best places to get in on the craft action is Cargo 127 in the heart of Itaewon.

I’ve always been rather open-minded when it comes to food, and my eating habits have changed accordingly since moving to Korea. Marrying a Korean woman has added an extra dose of evolutionary pressure to my eating habits these past few years; likewise, my wife and stepkids have incorporated a lot of foreign foods into their gastronomical universe since I entered their lives. I was recently reflecting on what has changed for them and what has stayed the same as we strive to put a mutually agreeable meal on the table.

Temperatures have reached upwards of 36 degrees (that's 96 for you Americans) here in Seoul and many people are saying that this is the hottest summer they can remember in Korea. The heat and humidity have made the days quite miserable lately, forcing Seoulites indoors as the parasols and fans just won't cut it. I'm right there with them, especially since my old air conditioner doesn't do anything and I'm convinced that it's actually hotter in my room than it is outside. Despite the unpleasantness of it all, there are some seasonal Korean eats and treats that help to make the heat a bit more tolerable.

Much like the neighboring Japanese, the Koreans have a rich drinking culture to go along with their near suicidal work ethic. But hey, if I worked as hard as the average Korean did - I'd be driven to drink copious amounts of alcohol too. I barely work half as much and I'm already borderline.

If you like a good drink, Korea is going to feel like a welcome homecoming to you. Not only is the stuff both cheap and readily available, but a large part of being a part of the foreigner crowd is getting out and socializing at the many bars, clubs, and... well... anywhere. Korea has no open bottle law, so you can roam the street with a 1.5 liter pitcher of Hite (Korean beer) and nobody will say boo. I wouldn't advise it though. We foreigners already have a bad enough reputation in this country.